Spoilers for House of the Dragon episode 6 below!
House of the Dragon fans rave over stars Emma D'Arcy and Olivia Cooke's debuts on the show. Set nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the fantasy-drama series is centered on the House Targaryen during the height of their reign over the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. When King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) names his daughter Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) as heir to the iron throne, members of the king's council, as well as his own family begin to conspire against him as they see the decision an affront to patriarchal tradition.
Set 10 years after episode 5, D'Arcy and Cooke have taken over the roles of Rhaenyra and Queen Alicent Hightower from Alcock and Emily Carey respectively. As a result of the significant time jump, the actors portraying several younger characters needed to be changed to match their character's ages. Although there have been several time jumps previously, episode 5's decade gap necessitated that the two main actors be replaced causing many fans to dread the episode's arrival.
House of the Dragons fans have taken to social media to rave over both D'Arcy and Cooke's debuts as Rhaenyra and Alicent respectively. Following their compelling performances as former friends and allies turned enemies, fans have accepted the two as suitable replacements for the beloved Alcock and Carey. Check out some of the glowing fan praise below:
House Of The Dragon's Rhaenyra & Alicent Recastings Paid Off
Fans have given their seal of approval for the House of the Dragon newcomers. Both D'Arcy and Cooke have not only replicated the energy that Alcock and Carey brought to Rhaenyra and Alicent respectively, but they have added their own layer of aggression and impatience that has built up between the two characters throughout those ten long years. With no more major time jumps necessitating another recast taking place in the season, audiences can now settle into the dramatic familial civil war that has only just begun.
With Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) taking a severe turn to the wicked by orchestrating the death of his older brother, Ser Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr), and his father Lord Lyonel Strong (Gavin Spokes), the core conflict between Rhaenyra and Alicent has thrust the two toward a point of no return. Although Harwin and Lyonel's death were not specifically ordered by Alicent, such a major action will lead the two to each other's throats. However, the growing dramatic conflict going into season 2 leaves the possibility open for fan favorites Alcock and Carey to return to their previous roles in the form of flashbacks to when they were children. As D'Arcy and Cooke are here to stay for the duration of the show, audiences need not worry about another significant casting change as House of the Dragon continues.
Source: Twitter